Excerpt & Appearance: May 9

John Lescroart will discuss and sign his new Dismas Hardy novel, "The Fall," 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Murder By The Book, 2342 Bissonnet; 713-524-8597, or toll free 888-424-2842 or murderbooks.com.

"The body fell straight out of the sky.

Those were the words in her original statement, and that was exactly how it had appeared to Robyn Owen. No foreshadowing, no warning. She had just turned right out of the Sutter-Stockton garage and was about to enter the tunnel when all at once the body fell out of the sky and landed on the hood of her brand-new Subaru. The head bounced against the windshield, shattering the safety glass into a spiderweb. Robyn had slammed on the brakes as she screamed. She'd been going fast enough to send the body flying, rag doll-fashion, what seemed an impossibly long distance in front of her."